Children battle leukaemia better: Cancer experts
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Bhubaneswar: Children in the age group of one to 10 years are getting leukaemia, but they are displaying the capacity to defeat the ailment better, said experts attending a programme organised at IMS and SUM Hospital here to mark World Blood Cancer Day on Wednesday.
Dr Priyanka Samal, professor and head of department of haematology, hemato oncology, bone marrow transplant and cellular therapy at IMS and SUM Hospital here, said the incidence of blood cancer or leukaemia in India is on the upswing, with a high number of children affected.
"Though new cases of leukaemia are being detected among the young, around 80 to 90 per cent children are able to defeat the disease with proper treatment and care," said Samal.
She said pollution, radiation, and the use of chemical fertiliser were among the prime causes of the disease. The symptoms of the disease, which include continued fever, a fall in haemoglobin, total leukocyte count and platelet levels, appearance of black spots on the body, and bleeding, should not be ignored. This calls for urgent blood examination of the patient and medical consultation, she added. "In case children suffer from fever for 8 to 10 days, they should get medical attention," said Samal.
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New Indian Express
30-05-2025
- New Indian Express
Experts warn of rising blood cancer cases among children, cite pollution and chemicals as key causes
BHUBANESWAR: The incidence of blood cancer or leukaemia in the country is on the upward spiral with a high number of children getting afflicted by the disease, experts said. Addressing an event organised at IMS and SUM Hospital here to mark the World Blood Cancer Day on Wednesday, head of the Hematology department, Hemato Oncology, Bone Marrow Transplant Prof Priyanka Samal said pollution, radiation and use of chemical fertiliser are among the prime causes of blood cancer. 'Though new cases of leukemia are being detected among the young children in the age group of one to 10 years, around 80 to 90 pc of the children are able to defeat the disease with proper treatment and care,' she added. The symptoms of the disease which include continued fever, fall in haemoglobin, total leukocyte count and platelet level, appearance of black spots on the body and bleeding, should not be ignored. 'Once diagnosed, it can be cured depending on the stage. We have the latest treatment regimen like bone marrow transplantation, haplo transplant and Chimeric Antigen Receptor- T (CAR-T) Cell Therapy, which have been very successful,' Dr Samal added. Eminent neurosurgeon and SOA's principal advisor (health sciences) Prof Ashok Kumar Mahapatra, dean Prof Sanghamitra Mishra, medical superintendent (MS) Prof Pusparaj Samantasinghar and MS of SUM's Phulnakhara campus Prof Rajesh Lenka spoke.
Time of India
30-05-2025
- Time of India
Children battle leukaemia better: Cancer experts
1 2 Bhubaneswar: Children in the age group of one to 10 years are getting leukaemia, but they are displaying the capacity to defeat the ailment better, said experts attending a programme organised at IMS and SUM Hospital here to mark World Blood Cancer Day on Wednesday. Dr Priyanka Samal, professor and head of department of haematology, hemato oncology, bone marrow transplant and cellular therapy at IMS and SUM Hospital here, said the incidence of blood cancer or leukaemia in India is on the upswing, with a high number of children affected. "Though new cases of leukaemia are being detected among the young, around 80 to 90 per cent children are able to defeat the disease with proper treatment and care," said Samal. She said pollution, radiation, and the use of chemical fertiliser were among the prime causes of the disease. The symptoms of the disease, which include continued fever, a fall in haemoglobin, total leukocyte count and platelet levels, appearance of black spots on the body, and bleeding, should not be ignored. This calls for urgent blood examination of the patient and medical consultation, she added. "In case children suffer from fever for 8 to 10 days, they should get medical attention," said Samal.
Time of India
28-05-2025
- Time of India
Rise in blood cancer cases among children in central India a cause for concern: Docs
Nagpur: Doctors of the city have raised concerns about the rising number of children being diagnosed with a type of blood cancer in central India. The alert comes on World Blood Cancer Day which is observed on May 28. According to data from Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Nagpur, more and more children are being treated for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL), the most common type of blood cancer found in kids. ALL is a fast-growing cancer of the blood and bone marrow. It affects white blood cells which normally help fight infections. In ALL, these cells grow uncontrollably and crowd out healthy blood cells. Over the past four years, GMCH Nagpur has witnessed a significant increase in the number of patients with blood cancer. In 2021–22, 22 children were diagnosed with ALL, and by 2024–25, that number jumped to 35. Doctors say that in 2022–23 alone, the number of new patients went up by 82%, which is a big leap in just one year. This trend shows that more children are falling sick with this type of cancer and also that more are getting diagnosed and treated in time. "This is a serious issue. The number of children with ALL is rising rapidly in Nagpur," said Dr Riya Ballikar, a blood cancer specialist. "We're not exactly sure why, but the possible reasons include pollution, pesticides, infections at a young age, and maybe even family history. But what worries us the most is the diagnosis which is often late," she said, adding, the number at GMCH Nagpur is just a part of the total cases in Vidarbha. She claimed that the real figure in the community is way more. Dr Ketan Modak, a blood cancer expert from AIIMS Nagpur, stated that Nagpur now offers numerous modern treatments that help treat blood cancer more effectively. Monoclonal antibodies are specially designed laboratory-made proteins that target cancer cells and help the immune system destroy them. Targeted therapy means drugs that attack only the cancer cells without harming the healthy ones. However, Dr Modak warned that many children still don't have access to such care as many advancements are yet to reach Nagpur. The expert stressed the need for more awareness campaigns, better screening at local health centres, and affordable treatment options. Snapshot of Blood Cancer Cases in GMCH Nagpur Year — Cases — ALL Kids — Under Treatment '21–22 — 54 — 22 — 6 '22–23 — 84 — 30 — 18 '23–24 — 72 — 32 — 9 '24–25 — 75 — 35 — 20
